Concentration-time interactions in hydrogen sulphide toxicity in rats

Concentration-time interactions were investigated in young male and female Sprague-Dawley, Long Evans and Fischer-344 rats exposed to hydrogen sulphide for two,four or six hours. Higher concentrations caused more deaths, with no significant difference for duration of exposure. A significant sex effect was noted with 30% mortality in males and 20% in females, with no significant difference among strains. Changes in weight were significant: increasing with concentration, higher in males than in females, different among strains (Fischer-344 > Sprague Dawley < Long Evans), and affected by duration of exposure. Lethal concentration values (LC50 and LC10) were estimated, for the pooled data set (n = 456); the probit equation was Y = -5.74749 + 3.8259X where X is log10 dose of hydrogen sulphide in parts per million. The LC50/LC10 values were 644/298 parts per million (902-417 mg/m3) respectively. Individual probit analyses were also performed for strain, hours of exposure and sex. The LC50 and LC10 values for male, female and strain were not different. Significant differences were observed among LC50/LC10 values for hours of exposure (2 h = 587/549 parts per million, 822/769 mg m3; 4 h = 501/422 parts per million, 701/591 mg m-3; 6 h = 335/299 parts per million, 469/491 mg m-3). There was no effect of spatial position in the exposure chamber on the distribution of mortality. All rats of all strains dying had severe pulmonary edema.